Winding system actuated by a rocking bar



Dec. 17, 1963 R. POLO ETAL 3,114,237

WINDING SYSTEM ACTUATED BY A ROCKING BAR Filed Feb. 20, 1962 UnitedStates Patent 3,114,237 WINDING SYSTEM ACTUATED BY A RGCKING BAR RaymondPolo and Marcel Loichat, La Chaux-de-Fonds,

Switzerland, assignors to Fabriques Movado, La Channde-Fonds,Switzerland, a Swiss company Filed Feb. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 174,537Claims priority, application Switzerland Feb. 23, 1961 1 Claim. (Cl.58-71) it is a well-known fact that winding systems actuated by rockingbars are simpler in their execution than those including a slidingpinion, but they generally have a drawback in that when the pinioncarried by the rocking bar and controlling the minute wheel engages thelatter, the tooth of the pinion which is to engage the minute wheel doesnot drop immediately in the space between two teeth of the latter butimpinges against a tooth to one side of the space which leads to anoscillation of the minute wheel prior to its controlled shifting andconsequently to a corresponding oscillation of the time-indicatinghands.

Our invention has for its obiect to eliminate this drawback which allowsresorting to winding means of the rocking bar type even in the case ofhigh-grade watches.

We have illustrated by way of example in the -accompanying drawings, apreferred embodiment of our invention. in said drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are plan views of the winding system, according to theinvention, 'for two different operative positions thereof.

In the drawing a winding and time-setting stern v1 is provided andincludes a square section 1a which serves for driving the winding wheel2 fitted over said square section. A rocking bar or yoke 3 is pivotal'lysecured to the point A rigid with the time-piece case. A middle wheel 4is carried coaxially with the rocking bar at A so as to remain inpermanent mesh with the wheel 2 whatever the operative position of thewinding stem may be as in all arrangements of the type referred to.

On the other hand, the rocking bar carries revolvably two pinions' 5 andd which are both in permanent mesh with the middle wheel 4. For thewinding position of the stem illustrated in FIG. 1, the pinion 5 mesheswith the barrel wheel 7 and for the time-setting position illustrated inFIG. 2, the setting pinion 6 engages the wheel 15]) of an intermediategear 1'5 the pinion 15a of which is in permanent mesh with the minutewheel of the dial train. A setting lever 9 is adapted to rock on a pivot10, and carries a stud 11 engaging a groove 12. in the winding stem. Thesetting lever acts on the rocking bar 3 through a roller 13. The settinglever 9 is subjected to the action or" a spring 14 holding it in eitherof two operative positions which may be occupied by it. a

A gearing 15 including a pinion 15a meshes with the wheel 8 0i themovement, The pinion is co-axially secured to a toothed wheel 15badapted to engage the pinion 6 on the rocking bar. The pinion 6 and thepinion 15b are each provided with pointed teeth, the number of which isthree times larger for the pinion 1512 than for 2. the pinion 6 orgenerally speaking a multiple of the number of teeth of the pinion 6.

FIG. 1 shows the parts in the winding position, the winding stem beingshifted into its innermost position and the setting lever 9 isillustrated holding the rocking bar 3 in a position such that the pinion5 meshes with the barrel wheel '7, which allows winding the barrelspring, not shown.

When the winding stem is drawn outwardly, the parts enter the positionillustrated in FIG. 2; the pinion 5 moves away from the barrel wheel '7,while in contradistinction, the pinion d engages the pinion 15b.

It will be udnderstood that when the rocking arm is rocked so as tobringthe tooth 5a of the pinion 5 into the gap or space To between two teethof the barrel wheel 7, it will not immediately assume the desiredposition, and will begin by impinging against the tooth 7b which would,in the case of a freely running wheel being used as a barrel wheel,slightly shift the latter.

The shifting would also occur during time setting, if the teeth on thepinion 6 had an oval shape and engaged directly the teeth on the minutewheel 8. Such a defective operation is however practically eliminated byreason of the fact that the teeth on the pinion o and on the wheel 15bare pointed and that the teeth on the latter are more numerous thanthose on the pinion, which still further reduces the width of saidteeth.

What we claim is:

In a winding system for a watch including a barrel, a minute wheeldriven by the barrel, a winding stem mounted to be shifted axiallybetween two operative positions, a rocking bar controlled by saidwinding stem to be set by said stem selectively in a winding positionand in a time-setting position in dependence upon the position of saidstem, a pivot for said rocking bar, a middle pinion coaxial withsaid'rocla-ing bar and controlled by the rotation of the stem, 2. firstpinion revolvably carried by the rocking bar permanently meshing withsaid middle pinion to wind the barrel for the winding position of therockin-g bar, a gearing to operatively connect the middle wheel with-theminute wheel and including a second pinion revolvably carried by therocking bar and provided with i a series of pointed teeth in permanentmesh with the middle pinion and an inter-mediate gear including a piniondisposed to mesh with the minute wheel in the time-setting position of,the rocking bar and a wheel provided with pointed teeth the number ofwhich is an integral multiple of the number of teeth on said secondpinion and disposed to mesh therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 May2, 1961

